Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) Chairman Bradley Roberts and Free National Movement (FNM) candidate for the Mt. Moriah constituency Marvin Dames have engaged in a “war of words”.

Mr. Roberts lambasted the former senior police officer for comments he has made over the past few weeks on crime in the country.

“Clearly Marvin Dames the parachuted FNM candidate has emerged as the opposition spokesperson on crime when one reviews the various statements he has made about crime.

“But what have we heard? To date, we have not heard one new idea, no not one. In fact, his so called recommendations are either already existing government policy or settled law or are mere recitations of initiatives pronounced by police commissioner greenslade in the police force’s anti-crime plan.

“Instead of rolling up his sleeves and working with Commissioner Greenslade as the consummate goal oriented team player and public servant, Dames left the police force in a huff for more money in the private sector only to return to offer nothing to the national dialogue on crime. His appointment by Dr. Minnis is a best dubious and questionable,” Mr. Roberts said.

Roberts also added perhaps former Prime Minister the Rt. Hon. Hubert Ingraham did in fact make the correct choice in selecting Greenslade over Dames in light of the report received from Canada after their training. This decision was made notwithstanding political partisan pressure and support for Dames which could not overcome the veracity of the Canada assessment said Roberts.

Mr. Dames wasted little time responding, and said in typical fashion Mr. Roberts was politicizing the issue of crime.

“As usual, blood is on the streets and all Bradley Roberts is concerned about is politics, his voice is silent while young men slaughter each other, while women die clutching their Bibles under a hail of automatic gunfire.

“The Progressive Liberal Party has proven to be a dismal failure on crime. Women and men alike are afraid to traverse New Providence when the sun goes down, Bahamians say silent prayers before they enter their homes, hoping they won’t become victims of burglaries or, worse.

“New Providence has become less safe, and Roberts offers nothing. No comfort for the dead, no solace for the afraid, when I left the Royal Bahamas Police Force in 2011, you had a police force that the full support of an administration that did not see fit to insert its political machinations into our fine military organizations,” Mr. Dames said.

Dames is not the first recently sworn in FNM candidate to exchange barbs with Mr. Roberts, FNM candidate for Montagu Dionisio D’Aguilar has also drawn the ire of Roberts as the pair have exchange jabs over the Baha Mar saga over the past few months.